This invention relates generally to a gas distribution system for a range having a housing and a cover member cooperatively providing a generally confined control chamber. The invention is specifically directed to a gas manifold structure mountable within the confined control chamber which provides for mounting a plurality of gas valves in a closely spaced cluster arrangement.
Prior art gas ranges have generally not been restricted in space for mounting gas valves on a gas manifold or in space for mounting the gas manifold. It has thus been generally accepted industry practice to fabricate a gas manifold from gas pipe or other conduit and then mount the gas valves directly to the gas pipe. These gas manifolds would be extended linearally across the front or along the side of the range with the gas valve stems generally lined up with the shape of the gas manifold and extending through the top or front of the range toward the appliance operator. Examples of these prior art gas manifolds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,697 issued Feb. 1, 1977 to Perl and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,611 issued Nov. 8, 1983 to Berlik et al.
Thus, the prior art has shown widespread use of linearally extending gas manifolds in a gas range environment. It is believed that there has not been any known showing of a gas distribution system having a gas manifold structure which provides for the mounting of gas valves in a closely spaced cluster arrangement within a confined control chamber as taught in the instant invention.